I'm about to install a new oil pan gasket on my 00' XJ but it looks like the two downpipes are in the way. Looks like it's hard to get to the bolts. Any tips on how to remove them?

 

Have you you tubed any videos yet?

 

Pretty sure the trick is to remove the starter and it will slide right out

 

No vids on youtube, I already check. The pipes are in the way of a few oil pan bolts. So in order to get those oil pan bolts off then you'll need to remove the exhaust downpipes.

 

Yea I checked too on the tube. I'm thinking if possable lots of extensions and swivels. Is how we got them off ,first like a day of soaking with some pb blast I think is how we did it to pull the engine we were swapping out

 

Man it's gonna be such a pain in the ****. But I'd rather do it myself than pay $700.

 

Removing the intake manifold would be the easiest way to get up there. I realize that that is a lot of extra work and perhaps a tad overkill, but you would have unrestricted access with a clear line of sight and better leverage on breaking those nuts loose, especially if they are rusted fast. That is just my opinion of course as have a 97, so i have it easy. Easier.

Found this. It is all i have found on removing one of those dual cat setups.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1107790

 

If you just need to remove the down pipes and not the manifold, just cut the bolts at the connections. Then you can replace the gaskets and use new bolts when you reinstall them. I never try to reuse exhaust fasteners. They are usually cooked and corroded.

 

What he said.